This is why the failure of Blue Origin’s New Glenn rocket is so alarming

Can Blue Moon Mark 1 launch on other rockets? SpaceX’s Falcon Heavy and United Launch Alliance’s Vulcan vehicles are both capable of carrying the vehicle to the Moon. But Vulcan is also sidelined right now and has a long line to pay Space Force in line. What about the Falcon Heavy?

The Mark 1 lander is powered by the BE-7 engine, which runs on liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen. There may be problems with the upper part of the Falcon rocket, although this has not been confirmed. Also, it’s unlikely that Blue Origin would compete with its direct rival, SpaceX, in this way.

Artemis program

Due to the Mark 1 issues described above, there will be significant delays, or the need to rework the initial phases of the Moon Base program. The lunar rovers being developed by Astrolab and Lunar Outpost, for example, weigh about a ton. Only the Mark 1 and SpaceX’s Starship have such an advantage.

There are also significant consequences for the main missions of Artemis.

NASA has recently upgraded Artemis III to a mission that will see the Orion spacecraft meet one or both of the Human Landing Systems being developed by Blue Origin (Blue Moon) and SpaceX (Starship) in the Earth’s orbit. NASA seems convinced to launch the project in 2027 and plans to announce its four members in a few weeks.

But it is certain that the newcomer to the Blue Moon will not be ready to do this in the next 18 months. NASA will have to decide whether to wait on Blue Origin or push forward with the Starship mission.

As for Artemis IV, the moon landing mission, this failure also disrupts the plan. It’s hard to imagine how someone with a Blue Moon team is ready for any time in 2028 now. Although the equipment is far away, Blue Origin still needs to fly test flights with the Blue Moon Mark 1, which has been suspended indefinitely.

Several NASA officials came to see Blue Origin’s plans to use a smaller version of the Mark 2, which would not require adding fuel to the atmosphereas the main path of Artemis IV. Now, like most US companiesNASA finds itself very dependent on SpaceX’s ability to deliver with Starship.

Note: This article has been updated to clarify the connection between the Blue Moon Mark 1 lander and the Falcon Heavy rocket.